Western Art Movements I Art Movements    

Lesson 26: Realism - The Third-Class Carriage (1862–1864)

by Honoré Daumier

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's movement.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Painted between 1862-1864, Honoré Daumier's 'The Third-Class Carriage' captures the exhausted stillness of third-class railway passengers. A mother slumps in her seat as she cradles her child. The elderly cloaked woman clasping a basket serves as a soft pillow for the worn-out little boy leaning against her. The additional passengers in the background are faded and wear muted colors. No one has the energy to smile, chat, or laugh. Even the weather outside appears gray and dreary. The passengers sit on hard benches, not the upholstered cushioned seats most likely enjoyed by the first-class riders. This work was not finished - note the grid of parallel lines overlaying the work, showing it was squared for transfer to another canvas.

Vocabulary

Third-Class: Most inferior in quality or standing.
Carriage: A rail car, especially one designed for the conveyance of passengers.
Squaring: A mechanism of reproducing art where the original work of art is divided into squares, squares are marked on a blank canvas, and then the artwork is reproduced square-by-square on the new canvas.
Canvas: A type of coarse cloth, woven from hemp, useful for making sails and tents or as a surface for paintings.

Concepts

Featured Movement:

1. Name - Realism
2. Timeline - approximately 1830-1900

Realism Characteristics and Subjects:

1. Everyday Life ('The Chess Players' by Honoré Daumier in 1863)

2. People from All Walks of Life ('The Gleaners' by Jean-François Millet in 1857)

3. Hardship ('Visit to the Poor' by Vladimir Makovsky in 1874)

4. Encroachment of Industrialization on Nature ('Pariser Vorstadt' by Jean-François Raffaëlli circa 1880/1890)

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• Mother
• Baby
• Elderly Woman
• Tired Child
• Evidence of Squaring
• Top Hats
• Hard Seats
• Something Third-Class
• Something Unfinished
• Something Parallel

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Classify the Artwork

• This artwork belongs to the Realist art movement.
• Find Realism on the timeline.
• During which (estimated) years did Realism flourish?
• Which art movement preceded Realism?
• Which art movement followed Realism?

Activity 4: Recreate the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 29 of 'Fourth Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The characters are the passengers on a third-class train car.

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The setting is on a train.

2 / 5

Question 3

To which western art movement does this painting belong?

3 / 5

Answer 3

This painting belongs to the Realist art movement.

3 / 5

Question 4

How is this painting reflective of Realism?

4 / 5

Answer 4

Realism portrays people from all walks of life such as those traveling in the third-class rail carriage.

4 / 5

Question 5

During which century was this artwork created?

5 / 5

Answer 5

Daumier painted this artwork in the 19th century.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are the passengers on a third-class train car.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is on a train.
3. To which western art movement does this painting belong? This painting belongs to the Realist art movement.
4. How is this painting reflective of Realism? Realism portrays people from all walks of life such as those traveling in the third-class rail carriage.
5. During which century was this artwork created? Daumier painted this artwork in the 19th century.

References

'The Third-Class Carriage.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Realism (art movement).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Realism (arts).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.